Career The Irish Underdog's road to the top of the world

[JohnMU]

It has always been my dream to become the best manager in the world but I wanted to achieve that status through my home country, Republic of Ireland.

So I decided to take up the challenge in managing the League of Ireland. I started as unemployed to build up experience and I had 2 offers but decided to accept Irish Premier Division side, Wexford Youths.

In brief, they are a semi professional club in Ireland's top tier. The chairman expect the club to stay clear of relegation.

So here is the end of the season result of my first season in charge of Wexford Youths:

 

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

It was a very rewarding first season for me as I got to achieve what was the minimum requirement expected by the chairman of the club.

The goal of my 2nd season at Wexford Youths is unchanged, stay clear of relegation.

And here is the result of my 2nd season in charge of Wexford Youths:

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

My 2nd season at Wexford Youth was a very exciting season as I narrowly missed out on European qualification which I did not expect to achieve. Nonetheless I was happy that we finished 4 positions higher than our previous season but it was come to my attention that we need to do better in our domestic cup competition.

So here is the end season result of my 3rd season in charge of Wexford Youths:

 

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

My third season in charge of Wexford Youths is one to remember as I steered them to glory by winning the Irish Senior Challenge Cup, my first silverware in my management career. I also mounted an unlikely title challenge but finished 2nd. Overall, I was more than happy with how our 3rd season went and very much looking forward to my very first European campaign next season.

At the beginning of my 4th season in charge of Wexford Youths, expectations were high and there was pressure too. A very poor start (winless in the first 10 league games) ultimately led me to my first sacking. However, I felt that I was hard done because I exceeded expectations last season so I deserved a chance but it is what it is.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

Not long after my sacking of the Wexford Youth job, I was offered the St. Pats Athletic job (the current league champions). It was an opportunity I simply could not turn down and the European football also another factor I could not turn down.

When I took over St. Pats Athletic, the club was in a very bad state. They were near the relegation zone, morale of players were very low, lots of players also find it hard to get their form back and there was tons of injuries within the squad and was almost impossible to select a XI.

Here is the end season result of my first season at St. Pats:

 

[JohnMU]

Because of my poor league position at my first season in St. Pats, my job was very insecure even tho I won the Irish League Cup in my first season in charge, reached the Irish Senior Challenge Cup final and reach the Europa League playoff.

When I took over St. Pats, my goal was always to restore them to glory because they are a top team.

So here is the end season result of my 2nd season in charge of St. Pats:

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by JohnMU

[Real_Random]

Nice career mate. Fantastic rise to the top of Ireland

[JohnMU]

It was a amazing feeling guiding St. Pats to the league title (my first league title) last season and winning the Irish Senior Challenge Cup.

My aim for my 3rd season in St. Pats would be to improve on our season, by retaining the title and do well in Europe.

So here is the end season result of my 3rd season in charge of St. Pats:

[JohnMU]

My 3rd season in St. Pats was a dream come true because not only we retained our league title and a domestic cup but we also reached the league cup semi final and reached the Europa league group stage for the first time ever but unfortunately finished last.

Going into my 4th season in St. Pats and the goal is to win a 3rd consecutive league title and possibly do a improbable domestic treble.

Here is the end season result:

 

 

[JohnMU]

We achieved our goal last season by winning the league double for a 3rd consecutive season, however we failed to qualify beyond 2nd qualify round in Europe.

Going into my 5th season at St. Pats and the main goal is always to win the title and push for a domestic treble and Europe.

Here is the end season result:

 

[JohnMU]

My 5th season at St. Pats was an historic season as we secured the domestic TREBLE for the very first time!!! However, we failed to go past the 2nd qualifying round in Champions League for a 2nd season running

Going into my 6th season in St. Pats, it will be hard to beat what we achieved last season but there is one last thing that I wanted to achieve at club level and that is to go unbeaten in the league.

Here is the end season result of my 6th season in St. Pats.

[JohnMU]

After guiding St. Pats to 5 consecutive league titles, Europa League group stage, two domestic doubles and one domestic treble. I'm not sure what else is there for me to achieve.

Into my 7th season now with St. Pats and yet again we failed to progress beyond the 2nd qualifying round of the champions league for a 4th consecutive season. Few days after I thanked the club for giving this opportunity to manage such a great club and I resigned mid way through the season. 

[JohnMU]

I have no regrets in my decision in resigning St. Pats because in my 7 years in charge, I guided them to 5 league titles, 7 domestic cups and a Europa league group stage so I felt I couldn't have done more and needed a new challenge.

 

Edited July 30, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

Few months later after my resignation from St. Pats. I was offered the Northern Ireland national football team job. I was so thrilled because I always wanted to managed at an international level to prove my management skills.

[Real_Random]

Great career mate. Very good read about a manager's rise to power

[JohnMU]

When I took over Northern Ireland national job, the team was currently ranked 52nd in the world and it was also a very edgy start to my international career as I lost 7 of the first 8 games in charge which led questions mark over my job.

My edgy start has led me finishing 4th in the 2028 European Championship Qualifying and 4th again in the 2030 World Cup qualifying campaign.

I knew that I had to work very hard to qualify for a major tournament with very limited resources as very few of my players play in the English Premier League (less than 11).

I was determined to qualify for the 2032 European Championship by hook or by crook and I DID! I even got to the Round of 16 and narrowly lost to Romania 2-1. It was a great feeling to qualify for a major tournament and it has given me more drive to do it again.

I was determined to qualify for the 2034 World Cup but I knew it was going to do even more difficult as there is only 1 guaranteed spot in each and the 2nd place would go into a playoff. I managed to finished 2nd in my group and defeated Poland in the playoff to reach the 2034 World Cup! 

 

 

 

[JohnMU]

Having qualified for the 2034 World Cup, Northern Ireland was drawn into Group B which also contains Jamaica, Egypt and Germany.

Again, the Northern Irish Football Association has hope that I will reach the second phase (no pressure).

The opening game was against Egypt, this was an absolute crucial game and we needed to get a very good result because Germany was up next!

So here is the result of the opening game

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

After the Egypt game, I was some what disappointed with the 0-0 draw because we were by far the better team. However, hope was not lost because Germany suffered a humble 2-0 defeat at the hands of Jamaica on their opening game!

So Germany up next in our 2nd game of the group, even though they lost 2-0 at their opening game they are still ranked 2nd in the world so I knew that a miracle was needed BUT we were confident we could get a result against them.

Here is the result of the 2nd group game:

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2016 by JohnMU

[JohnMU]

18 hours ago, Real_Random said:

Great career mate. Very good read about a manager's rise to power

Thanks mate!  I will continue to update regarding my progress if your interested

[JohnMU]

After the Germany game, I was absolutely thrilled with the result and the performance from my players! When the Germans scored I knew they would not lose this game! so I had to respond by subbing on 2 different attacking style players to try and get level! It was a do or die situation! And boy it paid off! McConnell with a typical poacher goal!

Just an update on the Egypt vs Jamaica game, it finished 1-1 so going into the final game Jamaica tops the group with 4 points, Egypt and Northern Ireland occupy 2nd and 3rd and Germany in 4th on 1 point! Who would have predicted this! 

Up next, our final group game against Jamaica. This was a must win match for us if we wanted to advance so the pressure was really on...

Here is the result:

Edited July 30, 2016 by JohnMU

[Real_Random]

Great job mate. Whose Regen is Lee Richards?

[JohnMU]

11 hours ago, Real_Random said:

Great job mate. Whose Regen is Lee Richards?

He reminds me of Gareth Bale, pacey out and out winger who cuts inside and score lots of goals and also a set piece specialist 

[JohnMU]

After a hectic final group match against Jamaica which guaranteed that N. Ireland top Group B but a single point and favourites Germany miss out of Round of 16 by goal difference.

Uruguay awaits N. Ireland in the Round of 16, having lost at this stage 2 years ago against Romania at the 2032 European Championship I was determined not to make the same mistakes and go into this match well prepared tactically.

Here is the result:

[JohnMU]

After the victory against Uruguay, we knew that we were onto something very special here, Quarter final of the 2034 World Cup!!!!!

Spain was awaiting us... The team who is ranked number 1 in the world and managed by Pep Guardiola who has a World Class reputation and is ranked 1st in the Manager Ranking and a team that I have never gotten a draw out of never mind a win so it was the worst possible team we could of drawn.

Here is the result:

[Real_Random]

Unlucky mate. Those sending offs didn't help you much 

[JohnMU]

2 hours ago, Real_Random said:

Unlucky mate. Those sending offs didn't help you much 

yeah to lose it in the final few minutes was horrific but can't fault the player's effort

[JohnMU]

After the World Cup quarter final exit, it was disappointing to receive 2 red cards in the final 5 minutes and to concede what turned out to be the winning goal after the first red card but Spain were the better team and had an abundance of attacking world class talents which they eventually went on and lifted the 2034 World Cup so congrats to them.

A month later, the draw for the 2036 was made. N. Ireland for drawn into Group 9 which also included Holland, Slovakia, Bosnia& Herzegovina and Estonia.

Here is the result after Round 3 and how the table stand so far:

[JohnMU]

Holland are up next in Gameweek 4 and here is the result

[JohnMU]

I also secured qualification to the 2036 European Championships with 2 games to spares.

After this achievement, N.Ireland reached an all time high in the world rankings of 11th.

And my ranking as a manager also reached an all time high of 41st.

 

[JohnMU]

The draw for the 2036 Euro is out and N. Ireland have been drawn in Group F along with Bosnia, Portugal and Ukraine.

The first group game is Bosnia, its always important to get off to a winning start in any tournament so we needed a important result